Tacofino Bentall

Influenced by its location in an older financial district, the concept for the restaurant was to reference the rustic glamour of a mid-century resort town such as Acapulco which in the 1940’s and 50’s became a fashionable place for Hollywood elites to vacation and dine.

The main feature of the space is a recycled marble terrazzo bar which spans the length of the space. Beside the bar is a series of wood and glass cabinets that separate the front and back of house while still allowing for a visual connection. The dining area is made up of custom pink concrete modular tables that can be moved together for groups or separated for individuals and pairs. A long banquette with cabana striped cushions is located under the solarium-style windows and a variety of seating styles denote the dining areas: woven stools around the bar, leather stools for the main dining area and red metal mesh chairs for the patio. With an abundance of natural light and low ceilings, simple backlit tray ceiling lighting was installed.

In particular, we were looking at the work of Arturo Pani, the brother of renowned Mexican Architect Mario Pani and founder of the glamorous “Acapulco Look.”

The brief was to design a space that could accommodate the fast turn over while maintaining the relaxed atmosphere reflective of the client’s brand.

The key challenge was the unusual layout and limited ceiling height were a challenge.

The solution was creating a long bar that could serve multiple functions as well as re-using some of the angles of the space within the design. The room is painted a light pool blue and a simple tray ceiling provides additional lighting.

Design: September
Photography: Vishal Marapon